Inline microgravity air trap device and an intravenous assembly incorporating an inline microgravity air trap device

ABSTRACT

An inline microgravity air trap device includes an elongate air trap chamber, the air trap chamber having a blind end, an opposite air outlet end containing a gas egress opening, a fluid inlet port connecting to a pressurized fluid supply, a fluid outlet port connecting the air trap chamber to a fluid delivery destination, a filter forming a tube having an interior, a first end at the blind end of the air trap chamber and a second end at the gas egress opening, and a structural insert in the interior of the tube, having a first insert end located at the blind end, and a second insert end located the air outlet end, where the chamber is formed to direct fluid from the pressurized fluid supply to accelerate centrifugally around the filter, forcing gas contained in the fluid to pass through the filter into the interior of the tube.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 16/576,448, filed on Sep. 19, 2019, and entitled“INLINE MICROGRAVITY AIR TRAP DEVICE AND AN INTRAVENOUS ASSEMBLYINCORPORATING AN INLINE MICROGRAVITY AIR TRAP DEVICE,” which claims thebenefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/733,305, filed on Sep. 19, 2018, and titled “Microgravity Air Trap.”Each of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/576,448 and U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/733,305 is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of medical devices.In particular, the present invention is directed to an inlinemicrogravity air trap device and an intravenous assembly incorporatingan inline microgravity air trap device.

BACKGROUND

Exclusion of air bubbles from fluids delivered in intravenous (IV) fluiddelivery systems typically relies on gravity, and resulting buoyancybehavior of air, to aid in the exclusion of air bubbles. However,gravity is not available to separate fluids from gases duringspaceflight. This fundamental fact of physics limits the use of certainmedical equipment and procedures like anesthetic vaporizers and IV fluiddelivery in microgravity. While a pressure bag can be utilized to allowthe delivery of fluid, it does not solve the problem of an excessiveamount of air in the IV tubing to be dispensed to the patient. Moreover,terrestrial air filters typically available for IV fluids are notdesigned to handle the large amount of air that may be delivered inmicrogravity.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect, an inline microgravity air trap device, the devicecomprising includes an elongate air trap chamber, the air trap chamberhaving a first end, an opposite second end, and a longitudinal axisrunning from the first end to the second end, at least a gas egressopening connected to at least one of the first end and the second end, afilter, the filter forming a filter tube having an interior containingthe longitudinal axis, the filter tube having a first tube end at thefirst end and a second tube end at the second end, a structural insertin the interior of the tube, the structural insert having a first insertend located at the first tube end and the blind end, and a second insertend located at the second tube end and the air outlet end, wherein thestructural insert further includes a fluid inlet port located at thefirst insert end and connecting the air trap chamber to a pressurizedfluid supply and a fluid outlet port located at the second insert endand connecting the air trap chamber to a fluid delivery destination, anda helical baffle running from the first end to the second end. TheHelical baffle is formed to direct fluid from the pressurized fluidsupply to accelerate centrifugally around the filter, forcing gascontained in the fluid to pass through the filter into the interior ofthe tube.

These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreview of the following description of specific non-limiting embodimentsof the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspectsof one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment ofdetail of a microgravity air trap device;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of an IVassembly;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of adetail of a microgravity air trap device;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of adetail of a microgravity air trap device;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amicrogravity air trap device;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of adetail of a microgravity air trap device;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of adetail of a microgravity air trap device; and

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used toimplement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and anyone or more portions thereof. The drawings are not necessarily to scaleand may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations,and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details that are notnecessary for an understanding of the embodiments or that render otherdetails difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the disclosed microgravity air trap device allow thesuccessful administration of IV fluid and medication during spaceflightwhile accounting for the unique nature of microgravity fluid dynamics.In an embodiment, a pressure source may force liquid containing at leastan air bubble through a tube to a chamber so that the liquid swirlsaround the chamber. Resulting centrifugal force drives the fluid towardsthe outside of the curved chamber, causing relatively buoyant airbubbles to “float” to the middle, where they may pass through a filterinto a central tube that allows air to evacuate; the filter may extendthe length of the chamber, which may enable exclusion of largequantities of gas. For purposes herein, “centrifugal force” refers tothe “fictional” force, and/or force experienced by objects in frames ofreference wherein objects are moving in rotational paths with someangular velocity, urging objects in an outward radial direction withrespect to rotational and/or curved paths; “centrifugal acceleration,”as used herein is the acceleration and/or apparent acceleration in anoutward radial direction attendant to the centrifugal force.“Centripetal force,” as used herein, is a force and/or force componenturging objects in an inward radial direction to impose a circular pathon the motion of such objects, such as the force imposed by gravity onan object in orbit, a force imposed by a string on a tethered objectbeing whirled around a fixed point, or the like; “centripetalacceleration” is the acceleration attendant to centripetal force.Persons skilled in the art, upon reading the entirety of thisdisclosure, will be aware of the ways in which centrifugal force,centripetal force, centrifugal acceleration, and/or centripetalacceleration may be used to describe locally experienced accelerationsin rotational frames of reference. Liquid may be output through anothertube and may then proceed into a vein in which it is injected. Tofacilitate transport, embodiments of the device may have some componentsmanufactured on Earth, while others may be additively manufactured withraw materials and facilities already in orbit. In addition, the devicemay be used terrestrially in situations in which it would be impracticalto set up an air trap that must remain in a particular orientation, suchas an upright orientation, relative to gravity to function effectively.Although embodiments disclosed herein are useful for microgravityenvironments, such embodiments may be useful in many applications wherea filter is needed to remove large quantities of air or a particularorientation with respect to a direction of gravitational force is notreliably available, such as under field conditions where a patient maybe carried, transported by stretcher, in moving vehicles, or the like.

Various embodiments of an inline microgravity air trap as described inthis disclosure may be incorporated in IV delivery assemblies, whichmay, as a non-limiting example, be used to administer IV therapy. Asused herein, IV therapy is a therapy involving delivery of fluidsdirectly into blood vessels such as veins and/or arteries; IV therapymay be used to administer injections using a syringe at high pressure todeliver boluses of medication, nutrients, and/or fluids, and/or deliveryof infusions, which administer medication, fluids, and/or nutrientsgradually over more extended periods of time. Infusion delivery is oftenreferred to as a “drip” because the infusion is often delivered by theeffect of gravity on a fluid reservoir raised a certain distance above apatient or otherwise given a certain degree of hydrostatic head.

In spaceflight, many assumptions that permit IV therapy to workeffectively are abrogated. Most spaceflight currently involves choicesof various elliptical and hyperbolic orbits, either around or betweencelestial bodies to move efficiently in planetary or other gravityfields; as orbits are effectively free-fall paths with respect to suchgravity fields, objects in orbit experience a reference frame includinglittle or no mutual acceleration. As a result, there is no apparenteffect of gravity or other acceleration except when imposed by rotationor thrust, and objects tend to “float” relative to one another. Thissituation, where gravity and other acceleration effects have little orno apparent power over a local environment, is referred to herein as“microgravity,” and is sometimes popularly termed “zero gravity” or a“zero-gravity” environment. Among the many consequences of thisenvironment is the negation of most familiar effects of buoyancy: it isno longer the case that a material low in density, such as a gas,intermixed in a material of relatively high density, such as a liquid,will be urged out of suspension by the effects of buoyancy and gravity,and “float to the top” of the denser material. This may result in fluidsuch as saline fluid bags used in IV delivery systems being intermixedwith bubbles, forming a foam-like consistency; as a result, when fluidis forced through IV tubing under pressure, a far larger amount of airis intermixed with the fluid. Further exacerbating this issue, initialair-exclusion devices commonly used for infusions, such as dripchambers, rely on gravity and relative buoyancy as well, and thus areineffective in microgravity environments.

Presence of air bubbles in fluids introduced via IV can have severehealth consequences, including air embolisms, which occur where airbubbles occlude blood vessels, particularly capillaries, where the sizeof potentially affected vessels may depend on the size of bubbles. Anair bubble of less than a certain volume, such as without limitation 30microliters may dissolve into the circulation harmlessly. However, alarge bubble, if delivered all at once, can cause life-threateningdamage, for instance by blocking one or more vessels in the brain andleading to ischemic damage, or in the case of extremely large bubbles,for instance of 3-8 milliliters per kilogram of bodyweight, cardiacarrest. Arteries represent a higher risk of bubble-related healtheffects, as venous blood may pass through the lungs prior to exposure tonarrowing vessels supplying other organs; air bubbles can leave thebloodstream through the lungs. For this reason, the higher quantity ofair that is likely to be present in IV lines and to bypass traditionalair exclusion systems represents a significant threat to health, and abarrier to an effective medical treatment process that is usedextensively in terrestrial hospitals. Commercial air eliminating filtersare not designed for the high pressure-driven flow rate that may benecessary during resuscitation, or that may be necessary to advancefluids in microgravity and are unable to perform air exclusion insufficient quantities to address the higher gaseous content typicallyencountered in microgravity environments.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of an inlinemicrogravity air trap device 100 is illustrated. Device may include abody 104 which may include one or more components of microgravity airtrap device 100 as introduced in further detail hereinbelow. Anexemplary embodiment of an inline microgravity air trap device 100 isdisplayed in FIG. 1 with body 104 partially cut away to illustrateembodiments of components of microgravity air trap device 100. Body 104may be constructed of any suitable material; material composition ofbody 104 may include, without limitation, any material or combination ofmaterials suitable for use in intravenous fluid delivery and samplingsystems, such as without limitation biocompatible polymers such asplastics, from metals, ceramics, or the like. Persons skilled in theart, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware ofvarious examples of materials and/or combinations thereof that may besuitable for composition of body 104 as consistent with this disclosure.Body 104 may be manufactured according to any suitable process orcombination of processes including without limitation molding processessuch as injection molding, blow molding, or the like, additivemanufacturing processes such as, without limitation, stereolithography,selective laser sintering, powder-jet printing, fused deposition, or thelike, subtractive manufacturing processes such milling or drilling on alathe and/or end-mill machine tool, or the like; persons skilled in theart, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware ofvarious ways in which body 104 may be manufactured consistently withthis disclosure. For instance, and without limitation, body 104 may beadditively manufactured from a design file such as a computer assisteddesign (CAD) file using a nylon 12 polyamide powder on a selective lasersintering 3D printer.

Still referring to FIG. 1, microgravity air trap device 100 includes anelongate air trap chamber 108. Elongate air trap chamber 108 may beformed in body 104, for instance by means of any manufacturing processand/or combination thereof suitable for manufacture of body 104. Airtrap chamber 108 includes a blind end 112, an opposite air outlet end116 containing a gas egress opening 120, and a longitudinal axis 124running from the blind end 112 to the air outlet end 116. In anembodiment, chamber 108 may be cylindrical, where “cylindrical”indicates that a cross-section of chamber 108 taken in a planetransverse to longitudinal axis 124 is substantially circular and/orelliptical in outline, excluding any irregularities introduced byopenings from inlet and/or outlet ports 140 as described in furtherdetail below.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, microgravity air trap device 100 includesa fluid inlet port 128 connecting air trap chamber 108 to a pressurizedfluid supply. Connection to pressurized fluid supply may be effected viaa length of IV tubing and/or one or more additional IV assemblycomponents such as valves, y junctions, stopcocks, or the like.Pressurized fluid supply may include any source of fluid provided undera pressure exceeding ambient pressure outside of an IV assemblyincorporating microgravity air trap device 100, such as an air pressurein a spaceship, space flight vehicle, space flight capsule, or spacestation, or local air pressure where microgravity air trap device 100 isbeing used in a terrestrial setting. Pressurized fluid supply may bereceived from a pressure source (not shown) connected to fluid inletport 128 via IV tubing or the like, including without limitationexemplary pressure sources as described in further detail below. Fluidinlet port 128 may include a connector 132 formed for fluidic connectionto an intravenous line, where “fluidic connection” and “connection,” asused herein, indicate connection of internal spaces and/or lumens 212via openings permitting fluid to flow from one element to another; as anon-limiting example, fluid inlet port 128 opens into chamber 108 sothat fluid contents of an IV tube or other component connected to fluidinlet port 128 will empty into chamber 108 when urged through such IVtube and/or component by pressure or other forces. Connector mayinclude, without limitation, an IV connector such as a split septumconnector, mechanical valve connector, or other connector or portdesigned to be inserted into IV tubing. Connector may include withoutlimitation a male or female Luer lock. Fluid inlet port 128 may includeat least a grip projection 136 extending from the surface of the fluidinlet port 128. At least a grip projection 136 may include anyprojection that makes fluid inlet port 128 easier for a user to grasp,including without limitation a ridge and/or two ridges opposite eachother across a longitudinal axis 124 of the inlet port 128, or the like.In an embodiment, fluid inlet port 128 may be disposed between blind end112 and air outlet end 116. Fluid inlet port 128 may be attached to,incorporated in, and/or manufactured as a monolithic whole with body104.

Still referring to FIG. 1, microgravity air trap device 100 includes afluid outlet port 140 connected to a fluid delivery destination.Connection may be effected via a length of IV tubing and/or one or moreadditional IV assembly components such as valves, y junctions,stopcocks, or the like. Fluid delivery destination may include a deviceconfigured for delivery of fluid to a blood vessel of a patient; such adevice may include without limitation a syringe, a catheter, a cannula,and/or any other device suitable for delivery of fluid into orextraction of fluid from a blood vessel via an IV assembly. Fluid outletport 140 may include a connector 140 formed for fluidic connection to anintravenous line; connector 140 may include any connector suitable foruse as a connector 132 as described above. Fluid outlet port 140 furthermay include at least a grip projection extending from the surface of thefluid outlet port 140; at least a grip projection may include anycomponent suitable for use as at least a grip projection 136 asdescribed above. Fluid outlet port 140 may be disposed between blind end112 and air outlet end 116. In an embodiment, chamber 108 has noopenings apart from an opening connecting chamber 108 to inlet port 128,an opening connecting chamber 108 to outlet port 140, and gas egressopening 120; for instance, blind end 112 may have no openings, andinterior walls of chamber 108, aside from those three openings, may haveno openings.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, microgravity air trap device 100includes a filter 148 forming a filter 148 tube having an interiorcontaining longitudinal axis 124, the filter 148 tube having a firsttube end 152 at the blind end 112 of the air trap chamber 108 and asecond tube end 156 at the gas egress opening 120. Filter 148 mayinclude any filter 148 suitable for exclusion of water from gas; forinstance, and without limitation, filter 148 may include a membranefilter 148. Membrane filtration, as used herein, is physicochemicalseparation process that employs thin, primarily synthetic polymeric,semi-permeable membranes to separate intermixed substances from oneanother. Filter 148 and/or a membrane filter may be constructed out ofany one or combination of a wide range of synthetic materials, includingwithout limitation cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate (collodion),polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate, polypropylene, andpolytetrafluoroethylene. Materials making up a membrane filter may forma complex network of fine, interconnected channels; alternatively, afilter material such as a polycarbonate filter may include cylindricalpores of uniform diameter that pass directly through the filter 148. Ineither case, filter 148 may be described as having a “pore size”representing an average minimum passage diameter for a passage throughwhich materials may pass through filter 148. Pore size may be selectedto accept gas exchange with maximal efficiency under pressures in use inmicrogravity air trap device 100. As a non-limiting example, filter 148may have a pore size of between 100 and 200 micrometers.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1, filter 148 may includea hydrophobic membrane filter. A hydrophobic membrane filter, as usedherein, is a filter in which electrostatic attraction between a materialmaking up the filter 148 and water molecules is less than anelectrostatic attraction between water molecules and other watermolecules; this is in contrast to a hydrophilic filter, where theelectrostatic attraction between the water molecules and the material isgreater than the attraction between the water molecules themselves,and/or a neutral filter where the electrostatic attraction between thewater molecules and the material is approximately the same as theattraction between the water molecules themselves. A hydrophobic filtermaterial may have a contact angle, with a water drop placed thereon, ofgreater than 90°. A hydrophobic filter may act to repel water; in anembodiment, where filter 148 is hydrophobic, filter 148 may act toexclude water and/or fluids from an interior of filter 148 tube whileallowing air or other gasses to pass through into the interior of thefilter 148 tube. A hydrophobic filter may be constructed from anysuitable materials, including without limitation polypropylene and/orpolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

With continued reference to FIG. 1, microgravity air trap device 100structural insert 160 in the interior of the tube. Structural insert 160may be constructed of any material or combination of materials suitablefor use in construction of body 104. Structural insert 160 may beconstructed using any method or combination of methods suitable forconstruction of body 104. Structural insert 160 may be constructed inthe same process used to construct body 104, and/or as an integral partof body 104; alternatively or additionally, structural insert 160 may beinserted into chamber 108 and attached to body 104 to assemble device,for instance as described in further detail below. Structural insert 160may be inserted into and/or attached to filter 148 tube prior toinsertion in chamber 108. Structural insert 160 may be constructed inthe same manufacturing process as filter 148; for instance and withoutlimitation, both structural insert 160 and filter 148 may be createdtogether in an additive manufacturing process. Materials used in a jointadditive manufacturing process may have qualities and/or attributesdesired in filter; for instance, filter 148 and structural insert 160may be manufactured in a selective laser sintering, binder-jet, fuseddeposition, stereolithographic, or other additive process using polymermaterials, where the polymer materials used are hydrophobic.Manufacturing structural insert 160 and filter 148 tube together mayhave the effect that filter 148 tube is affixed to one or more parts ofstructural insert 169 such as ribs of structural insert 160 and/or oneor both ends of structural insert 160, as described in further detailbelow. In an embodiment, structural insert 160 is formed to supportfilter 148 tube and/or to guide air and/or gasses extracted throughfilter 148 to gas egress opening 120, for instance as set forth infurther detail below.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of microgravity airtrap device 100 is illustrated with a cross-sectional view of chamber108, filter 148, and structural insert 160. Structural insert 160includes a first insert end 200 located at first tube end 152 and blindend 112. First insert end 200 may be pressed and/or sealed against blindend 112. Structural insert 160 includes a second insert end 204 locatedat second tube end 156 and air outlet end 116. First tube end 152 may beaffixed and/or sealed to first insert end 200 and/or gas egress opening120, where affixing and/or sealing may be performed using any suitablemethod, including without limitation heat sealing, adhesion, or thelike. Second tube end 156 may be affixed and/or sealed to second insertend 204 and/or blind end 112 using any suitable method, includingwithout limitation heat sealing, adhesion, or the like; in anembodiment, securing end of filter 148 tube to ends of structural insert160 and/or chamber 108 may ensure that no material passes into interiorof filter 148 tube without passing through filter 148, permitting filter148 properties such as pore size and/or hydrophobic material to takemaximal effect. Where filter tube 148 and structural insert 160 aremanufactured together, first tube end 152 and/or second tube end 156 maybe affixed to first insert end 200 and/or second insert end 204respectively, as part of the manufacturing process.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 2, structural insert 160may include a hollow support tube including an exterior surface, aninterior lumen 212 containing the longitudinal axis 124 and at least anopening connecting the interior lumen 212 to the exterior surface. In anembodiment, at least an opening may include one or more transverseopenings 216 in structural insert 160. One or more transverse openings216 may include a plurality of openings spaced along exterior surface;one or more transverse openings 216 may allow entry into lumen 212 ofgases that have passed through filter 148, permitting such gasses topass through lumen 212 under the influence of air pressure induced byurging of gasses through filter 148 via centrifugal force and thencetoward gas egress opening 120, and/or negative pressure applied at gasegress opening 120, for instance as described below. Structural insert160 and/or chamber 108 may be formed so that fluids and/or gasses areunable to pass through first insert end 200; in an embodiment, firstinsert end 200 may have no opening; in other words, first insert end 200may be blind. Alternatively or additionally, blind end 112 may include acentral convex feature shaped to seal shut an opening of the firstsupport end when the first support end is pressed against the blind end112; convex feature may, for instance, act as a plug to an opening atfirst support end.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment of microgravity airtrap device 100 is illustrated with a cross-sectional view of chamber108, and filter 148, and showing an exterior surface of an embodiment ofstructural insert 160. In an embodiment, hollow support tube and/orstructural insert 160 may include a plurality of transverse ribsprojecting from the exterior surface orthogonally to the longitudinalaxis 124, the plurality of transverse ribs supporting the filter 148tube. Plurality of transverse ribs may act to hold filter 148 tube awayfrom hollow tube, so that gasses are free to pass through more surfacearea of filter 148 tube than would be possible if filter 148 werepressed against exterior surface, thereby limiting gas flow to actthrough only the areas provided by the transverse openings 216, forinstance by application of high enough pressures and/or centrifugalaccelerations to overcome shear resistance and/or mechanical strength ofthe filter 148 material. The additional unobstructed surface area offilter 148 preserved by the presence of transverse ribs may in turnproduce the advantageous effect of permitting greater quantities of gasto pass through filter 148 per unit of time. In an embodiment, greaterrates of gas flow thus enabled will permit microgravity air trap device100 to separate greater volumes of gas and/or air from fluids, enablingextraction through filter 148 to operate at high flow rates associatedwith higher pressure at fluid inlet port 128, the resulting higher fluidvelocity and centripetal acceleration due to the curved flow path andthe resulting increase in buoyant force moving bubbles towards thefilter 148. Plurality of transverse ribs may have any suitable form,including rings or discs around a cylindrical hollow tube of structuralinsert, or any polygonal shape, curved shape, and or combination thereofdesired. Rings may have gaps in rings, such that a channel through ringsexists for passage of gas; alternatively no gaps may exist betweenrings, and gas may be constrained to enter lumen 212. Filter 148 may beaffixed to ribs, for instance by adhesion or during a process ofmanufacturing filter 148 and structural insert 160 together.

Still referring to FIG. 3, in an embodiment, microgravity air trap 100may include a plug affixed to second insert end 204. Plug may be formedof any material and/or combination of material suitable for use inconstructing body 104 and/or structural insert 160. Plug may be attachedto second end using any suitable means of attachment, includingfastening with fasteners, heat sealing, and/or adhesion; plug may beformed with structural insert 160 in the same manufacturing process,forming a monolithic whole. In other words, plug may be a portion ofsecond insert end 204. In an embodiment, gas egress opening 120 mayinclude interior threading, and plug may further include a threaded plug304 affixed to second insert end 204, the threaded plug 304 havingexterior threading that secures the threaded plug to the interiorthreading; assembly of microgravity air trap 100 may include insertionof structural insert 160 into filter 148 tube, insertion of the combinedstructural insert 160 and filter 148 into chamber 108, rotation toengage exterior threading to interior threading, and tightening to thepoint of forming a seal. Plug may include a plug opening communicatingand/or connected to the interior of the tube. Air and/or gasses thatpass through filter 148 may travel along lumen 212 as described aboveand exit lumen 212 via plug opening. Trap 100 may, in other embodiments,include an air egress opening at each end of chamber, and/or plugopening at both ends; filter 148 may act to exclude fluid from openings.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a perspective view of and exemplary embodimentbody 104 showing gas egress opening 120 and a portion of chamber 108interior, and an exemplary embodiment of insert located beside body 104,showing exterior threading of plug and plug opening, is provided forillustrative purposes. As depicted for instance in FIG. 4, plug mayinclude at least a plug grip projection, which may include any elementsuitable for use as a grip projection 136 as described above. Plug mayinclude a plug connector, which many connect to additional elements suchas without limitation IV tubes and/or tubes connected to a negativepressure source as described in further detail below. Fluid inlet port128 and/or fluid outlet port 140 may include tubal extensions from body104. Fluid inlet port 128 and/or fluid outlet port 140 may be connectedto body 104 via a connecting structure through which passages from fluidinlet port 128 and/or fluid outlet port 140 may pass into chamber 108.

In operation, and as illustrated for instance in FIG. 5, illustrating atop sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of microgravity air trap100, chamber 108 is formed to direct fluid from the pressurized fluidsupply to accelerate in a rotational path around the filter 148, asillustrated for instance by directional arrow depicted in FIG. 5,forcing gas contained in the fluid to pass through the filter 148 intothe interior of the tube. Gas-depleted fluid may then exit throughoutlet port 140 and into an IV tube which may connect via a catheter orsyringe to a blood vessel of a patient, while gasses extracted throughfilter 148 via centrifugal forces may exit through gas egress opening120 and/or plug opening. Chamber 108 may direct fluid into a curved pathby virtue of a cylindrical shape of chamber 108,

Referring now to FIG. 6, a cutaway view of an embodiment of an internalwall of microgravity air trap 100 chamber 108 is illustrated. Chamber108 may include an inlet opening 600 connected to fluid inlet port 128.Chamber 108 may include an outlet opening 604 connected to the fluidoutlet port 140. Inlet opening may be formed to direct pressurized fluidtoward a curved path around the longitudinal axis 124; for instance,inlet opening may be directed in a tangential direction with respect tointernal wall, so that pressurized fluid initially travels in atangential direction around the wall and away from outlet opening, sothat fluid will follow a rotational path at least partway around chamber108 prior to exiting via outlet opening 604. Fluid may not make acomplete rotation around chamber 108 in some embodiments. In anembodiment, the two openings may be disposed at opposing ends of chamber108, causing fluid to travel a long path axially prior to exiting, withthe result that liquid may perform more revolutions prior to exiting,causing further gas to escape during traversal. For instance, andwithout limitation inlet opening may be disposed adjacent to a first endof the blind end 112 and the air outlet end 116, while the outletopening is disposed adjacent to a second end of the blind end 112 andthe air outlet end 116, where the second end is distinct from the firstend. In an embodiment, an opening is disposed near to an end of thechamber 108 where opening is between that end and a midline 608intersecting longitudinal axis 124 and equidistant from blind end 112and air outlet end 116. Alternatively or additionally, fluid may followa rotational and/or curved path by accelerating radially into a curvedinner chamber wall, which may constrain fluid to travel in the curvedpath, producing the desired centrifugal and/or centripetal forces andresulting buoyancy effects as described herein. Fluid may be guidedand/or forced into a rotational path using one or more redirectionfeatures (not shown) such as without limitation rifling on an interiorwall of chamber, helical baffles, ledges, and/or paths for fluid tofollow, and/or an initial redirection baffle at inlet opening directingfluid in a tangential or rotational direction and/or away from a radialand/or axial direction.

A prototype was tested was tested against a commercially produced Braunfive micrometer air eliminating filter. A liter bag of 0.9% commerciallyprepared saline solution was run through IV tubing suspended at 125 cmabove an embodiment of microgravity air trap. For a control, no filterwas placed in the IV line. Flow rates were calculated by recording theaverage time to drain an IV bag. The commercial filter flow rates wererecorded with one filter in line, two in parallel, and three inparallel. The filters were placed in parallel to reduce resistance inthe system. An embodiment of inline microgravity air trap device wasrecorded in the same manner. The times were then recorded for the sameconfigurations with the IV bag pressurized to 150 PSI and 300 PSI via apressure bag. Air elimination ability was recorded by injecting 60 ml ofair into the flowing IV line via a three-way stopcock and syringe. Theexperiments were again repeated using one Braun filter in line, two inparallel, three in parallel, and finally an embodiment of inlinemicrogravity air trap device 100. A one-way valve was also placed in theline just distal to the IV bag to eliminate air flowing back up into thebag. First the air bolus was injected slowly over 60 seconds into theline pre-filter to simulate numerous small bubbles. The air entrained inthe closed collection bag downstream of the filters was then measured.The slow air bolus was conducted with pressures induced by gravity bysuspension of bag 125 cm H₂O over microgravity air trap 100, 150 PSI,and 300 PSI. All filters were properly primed. The experiment was thenrepeated using a fast air bolus: 60 ml of air injected over 5 seconds tosimulate a large pocket of air entering the filter. Again, all fourfilter configurations were tested at pressures of 125 cm suspension, 150PSI, and 300 PSI.

The embodiment of inline microgravity air trap 100 behaved comparably tothe commercial inline filter at low flow rates and pressure butunexpectedly performed significantly better at higher driving pressure.In addition, the embodiment of inline microgravity air trap device 100outperformed all configurations of the commercial filters at fast airboluses, indicating superior performance in management of larger airvolumes intermixed with fluids. Interestingly, performance improved asflow rate increased, likely caused by the increased centrifugal forcewithin the chamber 108.

Referring now to FIG. 7, an exemplary embodiment of an intravenous fluiddelivery assembly 700 incorporating an inline microgravity air trapdevice. In an embodiment, the intravenous fluid delivery assemblyincludes a microgravity air trap device 100, which may include anymicrogravity air trap device 100 as described above in reference toFIGS. 1-6. Assembly may include an incoming fluid line 704 connected toa fluid inlet port 128 of microgravity air trap device 100 and to afirst pressure source 708. First pressure source 708 may include apressurized container of fluid, such as a pressure bag; pressurizedcontainer may be pressurized by pumping air into the container, whichmay include sterile air, using for instance a pumping syringe orelectric air pump. Pressurized container may be pressurized byapplication of pressure by an external source around container; forinstance, pressurized container may include an IV bag with ablood-pressure cuff placed around the bag and activated to exertpressure on the bag. Pressure may be exerted by squeezing manually, orany other source of external pressure. First pressure source may includea positive pressure source that forces fluid through air trap device100. Alternatively or additionally, first pressure source may exertnegative pressure to draw fluid through air trap device 100.

Alternatively or additionally, and still referring to FIG. 7, firstpressure source 708 may include a pump. Pump may include, withoutlimitation, any form of infusion pump. For instance, and withoutlimitation, pump may include a peristaltic pump driven by an electric orpneumatic motor, where a peristaltic pump is a pump in which liquid tobe pumped is contained in a flexible tube disposed within a pump casing,and one or more rollers external to the tube compress the tube in adirection of intended liquid flow, forcing liquid through the tube inthat direction. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entiretyof this disclosure, will be aware of various examples of peristalticpumps that may be used consistently with this disclosure. A pump mayinclude an impeller driven by an electric motor; impeller may include amagnetically driven impeller disposed within a container and/or tubecontaining liquid, the impeller having one or more permanent magnetsthat cause the impeller to rotate under the influence of correspondingmagnets and/or changing magnetic fields exterior to the container and/ortube.

With continued reference to FIG. 7, pump may include a control circuit712, the control circuit 712 configured to regulate a pressure of thepressurized fluid. Control circuit 712 may include any electroniccircuit that may be configured as described below; for instance, controlcircuit 712 may include a logic circuit incorporating one or more logicgates. Control circuit 712 may include a microprocessor,microcontroller, or any computing device as described in further detailelsewhere in this disclosure. Control circuit 712 may be connected to apower source such as a generator, battery, electrical outlet, or thelike; power source may include backup and/or uninterruptible powersources to maintain control circuit 712. Control circuit 712 may beconfigured to drive a pump to achieve a target pressure; target pressuremay be set by calibrating voltage and/or current from an electricalpower source to pressure levels, such that increasing voltage and/orcurrent by a set amount results in a set amount of pressure increase inpump output. Alternatively or additionally, control circuit 712 may beconnected to a pressure sensor 716 that detects fluid pressure withinassembly 700. In an embodiment, a user and/or a programmed set ofinstructions indicate a target pressure to control circuit 712, andcontrol circuit 712 drives pump to increase pressure until targetpressure is achieved; control circuit 712 may use pressure feedback tomaintain a target pressure within some tolerance by repeatedly samplingpressure within assembly 700 and adjusting pump speed to increase ordecrease pressure as needed to achieve target pressure.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 7, a user and/or set of programmedinstructions may set pressure according to one or more operationalparameters. For instance, and without limitation, pressure may be sethigher where external gravity is lower, to counteract greater degrees ofgas intermixing attendant to lower gravity environments as describedabove; as a non-limiting example, a first default pressure level may beset in microgravity environments, a second, lower, default pressurelevel may be set in environments that are lower than Earth-surfacegravity but higher than microgravity, such as levels that may beexperienced on a moon or asteroid, or induced using centrifugal force ina rotating spacecraft, and a third default level, lower than the firstlevel and the second level, set in environment having Earth-surfacegravity levels. Default levels may be multiplied by factors based onother parameters affecting desirable pressure levels or may be used asfactors multiplied by pressure levels set according to such parameters.An additional factor may include a type of blood vessel into which an IVis being inserted; where the blood vessel is an artery, for instance, ahigher default pressure level and/or factor may be used to increasepressure in assembly, because of lower air bubble tolerance in arterialvessels. Where blood vessel is a vein, default pressure and/or a factormay be set lower reflecting a lower needed pressure due to a relativelyhigh tolerance of bubble inclusion in veins. A factor and/or defaultpressure may be set according to whether the IV is a central line,requiring more pressure according to Poiseuille's law, or a peripheralline. A factor and/or default pressure level may be set based onproximity to readily damaged anatomy such as a brain, indicating ahigher desired pressure to produce a lower proportion of bubbles, or tomitigating anatomy such as lungs, indicative of a lower needed pressuredue to ability of lungs to dissipate gas bubbles; “proximity” in thiscontext may indicate shortness of a circulatory path to the anatomicalfeature in question. A factor may be set according to a proportion ofgas in a fluid; for instance, a higher factor may be set for a fluidreservoir having a greater proportion of air, while a lower factor maybe set for a fluid reservoir known to have a lower proportion of air. Afactor and/or default pressure level may be set according patientcondition; for instance, a pressure level may have an upper boundrepresenting a maximal pressure that a patient can tolerate, and aminimal pressure based on a degree of air bubble inclusion the patientcan tolerate.

Still referring to FIG. 7, control circuit 712 may be configured toderive target pressure by aggregating factors and/or default pressurelevels, for instance as determined above. Aggregating may includemultiplying factors and/or default pressure levels together, averagingfactors and/or default pressure levels, for instance by calculating anarithmetic mean, or the like to get a pressure level to be applied.Alternatively or additionally, parameter values, default pressurelevels, and/or factors may be used to query a data structure such as adatabase table or the like listing target pressures associated withdifferent sets of parameters, factors, and/or default pressure levels.Factors may be manually entered by users or preprogrammed based ondefault assumptions. Users may be prompted via graphical user interfaceshaving fields and/or checkmarks corresponding to each parameter where auser may set parameter levels, factors, and/or default pressure levelsaccording to observations and/or predictions regarding such parameters.

Still referring to FIG. 7, in an embodiment, control circuit 712 may beconfigured to detect blockage in assembly; this may be accomplished, forinstance, by storing a threshold pressure level in memory of controlcircuit 712 and sensing, using pressure sensor 716, a pressure level inexcess of the threshold pressure level. Control circuit 712 may switchoff pressure in response to blockage detection. Control circuit 712 mayemit an alarm based on the detected blockage. Control circuit 712 may beconfigured to detect a leak in assembly; this may be accomplished, forinstance, by storing a threshold pressure level in memory of controlcircuit 712 and sensing, using pressure sensor 716, a pressure levelless than the threshold pressure level. Control circuit 712 may switchoff pressure in response to leakage detection. Control circuit 712 mayemit an alarm based on the detected leak.

With continued reference to FIG. 7, control circuit 712 may beconfigured to provide a continuous or near continuous infusion via theassembly. Control circuit 712 may provide the infusion by determining anamount per unit of time of fluid to be delivered. Control circuit 712may then determine an amount of fluid per unit of time delivered at thetarget pressure; control circuit 712 may generate a duty cycle in whicha proportion of a unit of time sufficient to deliver the fluid to beprovided in that unit of time at the target infusion rate would beprovided at the target pressure is set as a time during which to pump atthe target pressure, and the remainder of time in the unit of time isspent at zero pressure. Unit of time may be any suitable unit, includingwithout limitation a second, a minute, a number of clock cycles of areference clock in control circuit 712, or the like. Infusion may thenbe delivered in a series of pulses at target pressure, separated bypauses of sufficient length to achieve a target infusion rate.

With continued reference to FIG. 7, assembly may include apressure-activated valve 720 that opens only upon a pulse exceeding acertain pressure; for instance, a biasing means may hold the valveclosed unless pressure exceeds a threshold amount, such as a minimaldriving pressure for fluid administration. Pressure-activated valve 720may be placed, as a non-limiting example, immediately before fluid inletport 128; pressure-activate valve may act to exclude air bubbles thatmay diffuse through fluid and through microgravity air trap duringcessation of liquid delivery in a pulse cycle, between boluses, or thelike.

Alternatively or additionally, gradual infusions may be performed byemptying outflow from microgravity air trap 100 into a secondaryreservoir 722. Secondary reservoir may, without limitation, be initiallyemptied of all contents by pulling vacuum or the like, ensuring that oralmost no gas is initially present; any alternative method for ensuringthat secondary reservoir is empty of gasses may be employed. In anembodiment, fluid may be pushed through trap 100 at an optimal pressurefor gas exclusion, and gas-free or depleted fluid may be collected insecondary reservoir, to be dispensed at a different pressure and/or rateto patient; any pressure source and/or technique may be used to dispensefluid from secondary reservoir 722. One or more valves in the linebetween trap 100 and secondary reservoir may prevent later bubbleosmosis or drift into secondary reservoir, including apressure-activated valve as described above, a check-valve, and/or amanually activated valve.

Still referring to FIG. 7, assembly may include a second pressure source724. Second pressure source 724 may include any pressure source suitablefor use as first pressure source 708. Second pressure source 724 may actas secondary IV and/or “piggyback” IV, which may be used to administeran IV medication in a bolus or smaller dose than first pressure source708; second pressure source 724 may be joined to assembly, using, forinstance, a Y-junction, prior to microgravity air trap 100;alternatively each pressure source may run through its own microgravityair trap. In an embodiment second pressure source 724 is set at a lowerpressure than first pressure source 708; alternatively or additionally,IV assembly may include one or more check-valves 728 to prevent backup,which may function to prevent backups even in pulsed infusion methods asdescribed above. Assembly may include one or more insertion points foradministration of medication via syringe or plunger, for instanceincluding one or more Y-junctions with cock-valves or the like.

With continued reference to FIG. 7, assembly includes an outgoing fluidline connected to fluid outlet port 140 of microgravity air filter 148.Outgoing fluid line may connect to one or more devices configured forinsertion into a blood vessel, including without limitation a cannula,catheter, or other device for insertion in a blood vessel of a patient.A clamp and/or other pressure throttling regulator may be connected tooutgoing fluid line.

Still referring to FIG. 7, assembly may include a negative pressuresource 732 at air-egress opening; negative pressure source may beconnected to plug opening and/or plug connector. Negative pressuresource 732 may include any vacuum source, including without limitation amedical vacuum line, a pump intake, or the like. In an embodimentnegative pressure source 732 may act to draw away air and/or gasextracted from fluid by microgravity air trap 100 as described above.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a partially cut away view of an alternativeexemplary embodiment 800 of a microgravity air trap is illustrated.Microgravity air trap includes a body 804, which may be implemented inany manner and using any material suitable for body 104 as describedabove. Microgravity air trap includes an air trap chamber 808, which maybe implemented according to any means and/or method for implementationof air trap chamber 108 as described above; air trap chamber 808 have afirst end 812 and a second end 816. Either or both ends may include agas egress opening 820, which may be implemented in any way suitable forimplementation of air egress opening 120 as described above; in otherwords, gas egress opening 820 is connected to at least one of the firstend and the second end. Microgravity air trap 800 includes a fluid inletport 824 at first end 812 and a fluid outlet port 828 at second end.Either of fluid inlet port 824 and/or fluid outlet port 828 may includeand/or be included in any connector as described above.

Still referring to FIG. 8, microgravity air trap 800 may include astructural insert 832, which may be implemented and/or manufactured inany manner suitable for a structural insert 160 as described above. Afilter tube (not shown) may be supported by structural insert andinserted in chamber 808 in any manner as disclosed above. Insert mayinclude one or more transverse ribs 836, which may be implemented asdescribed above; insert may include transverse openings (not shown)which may be implemented as described above.

With continued reference to FIG. 8, microgravity air trap 800 mayinclude a helical baffle 840. Helical baffle 840 may include a chamberportion 844 attached to interior walls of chamber 808, and an insertportion 848 attached to insert; filter tube may fit into a gap betweenchamber portion 844 and insert portion 848. Where an elastic membrane asdescribed below is used, fluid at low pressure may travel around insertportion 848 of baffle 840, while fluid pressure at higher pressures mayforce elastic membrane away from a longitudinal axis, for instance asdescribed above, and chamber portion 844 may add to a helical path offluid. In an embodiment, helical baffle 840 may force fluid passing fromfluid inlet port 824 to fluid outlet port 828 to follow a helical pathimposing angular momentum on fluid and forcing fluid to rotate two ormore times about longitudinal axis prior to exiting fluid outlet port828; this may help to guarantee removal of air or other gases acrossfilter, into filter tube, and out air egress opening or openings 820.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a cross-sectional view of first end 812 ofmicrogravity air trap 800 is illustrated. In an embodiment, fluid inletport 824 may be connected to a redirection shaft 900, which may forcefluid entering fluid inlet port 824 into a rotational path; this may beaccomplished, without limitation, by forcing and/or directing fluid ontohelical baffle 840. In an embodiment, fluid inlet port may be mountedaxially; in other words, longitudinal axis may pass through fluid inletport. Where fluid inlet port is mounted axially, redirection shaft 900may shunt fluid away from longitudinal axis, while filter tube interior904, which may be implemented according to any embodiment describedabove, may be located about longitudinal axis as described above. An airegress shaft 908 may direct air from filter tube interior 904 to airegress opening 820, which may be offset to one side of longitudinalaxis. Each of redirection shaft 900 and air egress shaft 908 may beformed as part of any component of microgravity air trap 800; forinstance, and without limitation, each of redirection shaft 900 and airegress shaft 908 may be formed as part of structural insert 832. Filtertube 912 may be located about structural insert as described above andmay function to filter out air bubbles as described above. Fluid mayflow between elastic membrane and filter tube.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a cross-sectional view of second end 816 ofmicrogravity air trap 800 is illustrated. In an embodiment, fluid outletport 828 may be connected to a redirection shaft 1000, which may forcefluid exiting fluid outlet port 828 toward fluid outlet port; this maybe accomplished, without limitation, by forcing and/or directing fluidfrom helical baffle 840 toward fluid outlet port. In an embodiment,fluid outlet port 828 may be mounted axially; in other words,longitudinal axis may pass through fluid outlet port 828. Where fluidoutlet port is mounted axially, redirection shaft 1000 may shunt fluidfrom rotational path to longitudinal axis at or near to second end 816,while filter tube interior 904, which may be implemented according toany embodiment described above, may be located about longitudinal axisas described above. An air egress shaft 1004 may direct air from filtertube interior 904 to air egress opening 820, which may be offset to oneside of longitudinal axis. Each of redirection shaft 1000 and air egressshaft 1004 may be formed as part of any component of microgravity airtrap 800; for instance, and without limitation, each of redirectionshaft 1000 and air egress shaft 1004 may be formed as part of structuralinsert 832.

Referring now to FIG. 11, apparatus may include an elastic membrane.Elastic membrane 1100 may be formed of latex, elastic silicone, nitrilerubber, polyvinyl chloride, neoprene, isoprene, and/or any other elasticmedical-safe material; “elastic,” as used in this disclosure, meanshaving sufficient elasticity to deform to fill chamber portion underfluid pressure from inlet port, where fluid pressure does not exceed amaximum medically permitted pressure for an intravenous line; permittedpressure may be a pressure between 0 and 300 mmHg (4 kPa). Elasticmembrane may form a tube around structural insert. In an embodiment, asshown for instance in FIG. 12, elastic membrane 1100 may be sealed toboth ends of structural insert, dividing air trap chamber into aninterior section 1200 enclosing structural insert and an exteriorsection 1204 enclosing the chamber portion 844 of the helical baffle.Elastic membrane may have a first end 1208 sealed to first insert end ofinsert. Sealing may be performed in any manner for attaching filter tubeto insert as described above. Inlet opening 900 may open into interiorsection 1200. As a result, fluid entering from inlet port may bedirected around insert portion 848; where pressure increases, elasticmembrane may stretch to accommodate greater fluid volume, causing fluidto traverse chamber portion 844 albeit with elastic membrane 1100separating fluid from chamber portion 844. As shown in FIG. 13, elasticmembrane may further include a second end 1300 sealed to second end ofstructural insert. Outlet opening may be located in the interiorsection.

It is to be noted that any one or more of the aspects and embodimentsdescribed herein may be conveniently implemented using one or moremachines (e.g., one or more computing devices that are utilized as auser computing device for an electronic document, one or more serverdevices, such as a document server, etc.) programmed according to theteachings of the present specification, as will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the computer art. Appropriate software coding canreadily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of thepresent disclosure, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe software art. Aspects and implementations discussed above employingsoftware and/or software modules may also include appropriate hardwarefor assisting in the implementation of the machine executableinstructions of the software and/or software module.

Such software may be a computer program product that employs amachine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage medium maybe any medium that is capable of storing and/or encoding a sequence ofinstructions for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing device) andthat causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologies and/orembodiments described herein. Examples of a machine-readable storagemedium include, but are not limited to, a magnetic disk, an optical disc(e.g., CD, CD-R, DVD, DVD-R, etc.), a magneto-optical disk, a read-onlymemory “ROM” device, a random access memory “RAM” device, a magneticcard, an optical card, a solid-state memory device, an EPROM, an EEPROM,and any combinations thereof. A machine-readable medium, as used herein,is intended to include a single medium as well as a collection ofphysically separate media, such as, for example, a collection of compactdiscs or one or more hard disk drives in combination with a computermemory. As used herein, a machine-readable storage medium does notinclude transitory forms of signal transmission.

Such software may also include information (e.g., data) carried as adata signal on a data carrier, such as a carrier wave. For example,machine-executable information may be included as a data-carrying signalembodied in a data carrier in which the signal encodes a sequence ofinstruction, or portion thereof, for execution by a machine (e.g., acomputing device) and any related information (e.g., data structures anddata) that causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologiesand/or embodiments described herein.

Examples of a computing device include, but are not limited to, anelectronic book reading device, a computer workstation, a terminalcomputer, a server computer, a handheld device (e.g., a tablet computer,a smartphone, etc.), a web appliance, a network router, a networkswitch, a network bridge, any machine capable of executing a sequence ofinstructions that specify an action to be taken by that machine, and anycombinations thereof. In one example, a computing device may includeand/or be included in a kiosk.

FIG. 14 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of acomputing device in the exemplary form of a computer system 1400 withinwhich a set of instructions for causing a control system to perform anyone or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the presentdisclosure may be executed. It is also contemplated that multiplecomputing devices may be utilized to implement a specially configuredset of instructions for causing one or more of the devices to performany one or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the presentdisclosure. Computer system 1400 includes a processor 1404 and a memory1408 that communicate with each other, and with other components, via abus 1412. Bus 1412 may include any of several types of bus structuresincluding, but not limited to, a memory bus, a memory controller, aperipheral bus, a local bus, and any combinations thereof, using any ofa variety of bus architectures.

Memory 1408 may include various components (e.g., machine-readablemedia) including, but not limited to, a random-access memory component,a read only component, and any combinations thereof. In one example, abasic input/output system 1416 (BIOS), including basic routines thathelp to transfer information between elements within computer system1400, such as during start-up, may be stored in memory 1408. Memory 1408may also include (e.g., stored on one or more machine-readable media)instructions (e.g., software) 1420 embodying any one or more of theaspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure. In anotherexample, memory 1408 may further include any number of program modulesincluding, but not limited to, an operating system, one or moreapplication programs, other program modules, program data, and anycombinations thereof.

Computer system 1400 may also include a storage device 1424. Examples ofa storage device (e.g., storage device 1424) include, but are notlimited to, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical discdrive in combination with an optical medium, a solid-state memorydevice, and any combinations thereof. Storage device 1424 may beconnected to bus 1412 by an appropriate interface (not shown). Exampleinterfaces include, but are not limited to, SCSI, advanced technologyattachment (ATA), serial ATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394(FIREWIRE), and any combinations thereof. In one example, storage device1424 (or one or more components thereof) may be removably interfacedwith computer system 1400 (e.g., via an external port connector (notshown)). Particularly, storage device 1424 and an associatedmachine-readable medium 1428 may provide nonvolatile and/or volatilestorage of machine-readable instructions, data structures, programmodules, and/or other data for computer system 1400. In one example,software 1420 may reside, completely or partially, withinmachine-readable medium 1428. In another example, software 1420 mayreside, completely or partially, within processor 1404.

Computer system 1400 may also include an input device 1432. In oneexample, a user of computer system 1400 may enter commands and/or otherinformation into computer system 1400 via input device 1432. Examples ofan input device 1432 include, but are not limited to, an alpha-numericinput device (e.g., a keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, agamepad, an audio input device (e.g., a microphone, a voice responsesystem, etc.), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, anoptical scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a videocamera), a touchscreen, and any combinations thereof. Input device 1432may be interfaced to bus 1412 via any of a variety of interfaces (notshown) including, but not limited to, a serial interface, a parallelinterface, a game port, a USB interface, a FIREWIRE interface, a directinterface to bus 1412, and any combinations thereof Input device 1432may include a touch screen interface that may be a part of or separatefrom display 1436, discussed further below. Input device 1432 may beutilized as a user selection device for selecting one or more graphicalrepresentations in a graphical interface as described above.

A user may also input commands and/or other information to computersystem 1400 via storage device 1424 (e.g., a removable disk drive, aflash drive, etc.) and/or network interface device 1440. A networkinterface device, such as network interface device 1440, may be utilizedfor connecting computer system 1400 to one or more of a variety ofnetworks, such as network 1444, and one or more remote devices 1448connected thereto. Examples of a network interface device include, butare not limited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile networkinterface card, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof.Examples of a network include, but are not limited to, a wide areanetwork (e.g., the Internet, an enterprise network), a local areanetwork (e.g., a network associated with an office, a building, a campusor other relatively small geographic space), a telephone network, a datanetwork associated with a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobilecommunications provider data and/or voice network), a direct connectionbetween two computing devices, and any combinations thereof. A network,such as network 1444, may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode ofcommunication. In general, any network topology may be used. Information(e.g., data, software 1420, etc.) may be communicated to and/or fromcomputer system 1400 via network interface device 1440.

Computer system 1400 may further include a video display adapter 1452for communicating a displayable image to a display device, such asdisplay device 1436. Examples of a display device include, but are notlimited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), aplasma display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, and anycombinations thereof. Display adapter 1452 and display device 1436 maybe utilized in combination with processor 1404 to provide graphicalrepresentations of aspects of the present disclosure. In addition to adisplay device, computer system 1400 may include one or more otherperipheral output devices including, but not limited to, an audiospeaker, a printer, and any combinations thereof. Such peripheral outputdevices may be connected to bus 1412 via a peripheral interface 1456.Examples of a peripheral interface include, but are not limited to, aserial port, a USB connection, a FIREWIRE connection, a parallelconnection, and any combinations thereof

The foregoing has been a detailed description of illustrativeembodiments of the invention. Various modifications and additions can bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.Features of each of the various embodiments described above may becombined with features of other described embodiments as appropriate inorder to provide a multiplicity of feature combinations in associatednew embodiments. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number ofseparate embodiments, what has been described herein is merelyillustrative of the application of the principles of the presentinvention. Additionally, although particular methods herein may beillustrated and/or described as being performed in a specific order, theordering is highly variable within ordinary skill to achieve embodimentsdisclosed herein. Accordingly, this description is meant to be takenonly by way of example, and not to otherwise limit the scope of thisinvention.

Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes, omissions, and additions may be made to that whichis specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An inline microgravity air trap device, the device comprising: an elongate air trap chamber, the air trap chamber having a first end, an opposite second end, and a longitudinal axis running from the first end to the second end; at least a gas egress opening connected to at least one of the first end and the second end; a filter, the filter forming a filter tube having an interior containing the longitudinal axis, the filter tube having a first tube end at the first end and a second tube end at the second end; a structural insert in the interior of the tube, the structural insert having a first insert end located at the first tube end and the blind end, and a second insert end located at the second tube end and the air outlet end, wherein the structural insert further includes: a fluid inlet port located at the first insert end and connecting the air trap chamber to a pressurized fluid supply; and a fluid outlet port located at the second insert end and connecting the air trap chamber to a fluid delivery destination; and a helical baffle running from the first end to the second end; wherein the helical baffle is formed to direct fluid from the pressurized fluid supply to accelerate centrifugally around the filter, forcing gas contained in the fluid to pass through the filter into the interior of the tube.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the chamber is cylindrical.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein: the structural insert further comprises an inlet opening connected to the fluid inlet port; and the inlet opening is formed to direct the pressurized fluid toward the helical baffle.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the structural insert further comprises an outlet opening connected to the fluid outlet port.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet port further comprises a connector formed for fluidic connection to an intravenous line.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet port further comprises at least a grip projection extending from the surface of the fluid inlet port.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid outlet port further comprises a connector formed for fluidic connection to an intravenous line.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid outlet port further comprises at least a grip projection extending from the surface of the fluid outlet port.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the filter further comprises a membrane filter.
 10. The device of claim 12, wherein the filter further comprises a hydrophobic membrane filter.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the filter has a pore size of between 100 and 200 micrometers.
 12. The device of claim 1 wherein the structural insert further comprises a hollow support tube including an exterior surface an interior lumen containing the longitudinal axis and at least an opening connecting the interior lumen to the exterior surface.
 13. The device of claim 15 wherein the hollow support tube further comprises a plurality of transverse ribs projecting from the exterior surface orthogonally to the longitudinal axis, the plurality of transverse ribs supporting the filter tube.
 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least a gas egress opening further comprises a first gas egress opening at the first end and a second gas egress opening at the second end.
 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the helical baffle includes a chamber portion attached to the air trap chamber and an insert portion attached to the structural insert.
 16. The device of claim 16 further comprising an elastic membrane enclosing the structural insert, dividing the air trap chamber into an interior section containing the structural insert and an exterior section containing the chamber portion of the helical baffle.
 17. The device of claim 17, wherein the elastic membrane has a first membrane end sealed to the first insert end and a second membrane end sealed to the second insert end.
 18. The device of claim 17, wherein: the structural insert further comprises an inlet opening connected to the fluid inlet port; and the inlet opening is formed to direct the pressurized fluid into the interior section.
 19. The device of claim 17, wherein: the structural insert further comprises an outlet opening connected to the fluid outlet port; and the outlet opening is located in the interior section.
 20. The device of claim 1, wherein the air inlet port and the air outlet port are located along the longitudinal axis. 